And the Mother's Day Contest Winner is. . .

We received a ton of great entries to our first Mother's Day Contest, with some posted on this blog.  I want to thank everyone who submitted an entry and thank all the Mother's they wrote about, who were heroic and  kind.  We were luckily to learn about them.  

It was very difficult to pick a winner with so many wonderful stories, but we were touched by the legacy that Monica Houston described her mother Mary created.    Mary should be receiving her delicious GrandmasChickenSoup with a mug full of crackers tomorrow.  We hope to post a picture of the winning mom soon!

Happy Mother's Day to Mary and to all the great Mom's this Sunday. 

Here is a reposting of the winning entry. . .

My Mother's name is Mary . . .  My mother's mind is not with us in reality as alert as she was, but is ever alert and beautiful in my heart.  She is in the final stage of Dementia and lives in a wonderful facility in . . . MI.  My Mama was a social worker by profession.  She completed college in 1957, one of the first in our extended family to complete college.  When she divorced my Dad in the early 1970's, she went back to school and obtained her Masters Degree in Social Work, while supporting and raising 4 children. 

In 1977 Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She took this challenge as she did all others with faith and a positive attitude.  She was a safe haven for all of my sisters', brothers' and my friends.  She often took them in when they were temporarily homeless or parentless due to life's situations.  Mama was always encouraging, and was very active in our community through our Block club, Church-St. John C.M.E. , The American Breast Cancer Association, the National Association of Black Social Workers, and many other organizations.

When Mama and I noticed that she was beginning to have trouble remembering things, she bravely allowed my siblings and I to find her a great Doctor, and because of God and him she has still survived this disease since the mid to late 90's.  Mama only recognizes any of us for about 30 seconds now, but her smile is radiant and we can still feel her love.  She still has a great appreciation for what tastes good.  If she doesn't like something her determination NOT to eat is fierce!  I know that she would love your soup and enjoy the warmth and deliciousness of it.  Your lemon iced cake is also delicious and I have sent these things to many of my friends and family over the years.  I know my Mom would not only love to be recognized in this way, but she would be humbled at the total love and devotion that I feel for her.

Sincerely,

Monica M. Houston

Here's an entry from someone who wishes their Mom knew about our company!

I read about your Best Mom contest in our local Jewish newspaper, and immediately decided to submit this entry.

My mother, Joyce, is a mother, grandmother, and as of this very week,
a great-grandmother!  She is no ordinary mother.  During my freshman
year of college, I came down with a bad cold days before my first
formal dance.  My mother detected despair in my voice when I called
home -- I didn't have shoes to wear with my dress and oh, how I
missed her chicken soup remedy.   Two days later, my dorm leader
notified me that I had a package waiting for me downstairs.  Its
brown wrapping was soaked, the box was ripped, the smell was
overwhelming.  Inside the remains of the box was a pair of my
mother's strappy sandals, dripping with chicken broth.  Bits of
carrots, celery, onion and chicken clung to every strap.  The soup's
original container, packed with the shoes, had apparently exploded
en-route.  I wasn't able to eat my mother's soup or wear her shoes,
but her thoughtfulness filled me up and warmed my heart.

A GrandmasChickenSoup employee writes about her mom. . .

Obviously employees of GrandmasChickenSoup can not enter our Mother's Day Contest for a free soup and mug of crackers. . .but we certainly will let Melissa highlight her great Mom on my Blog.

"My mom is the best and I am thrilled to be able to say thank you to her this Mother’s Day. We were not sure at this time last that she would be around for us to do that. My mother is warm and caring. She always wanted to have a big family but was only able to have me. She proudly says, “I wanted 12 and got my 12 all wrapped up in you!” My mom was a divorced mom, worked hard full time and still attended all my activities. Hers was the loudest voice cheering. She has always made me feel loved and was awed and supportive of even my smallest accomplishments. Once I got married and decided to start a family she moved 300 miles to be close to us to help watch our children.

My mom works full time and watches her 3 grandchildren so that I can work. My girls love their “Nanny” and light up when she enters our house. Last year, my mom, who rarely got sick, was in the hospital for 3 weeks with a rare back infection. It was devastating, and at times we thought we might lose her. We are very lucky to say she made it through

There are many people that need to be thanked. Thank you to Mass General Hospital and their wonderful staff who helped nurse her back to health. It was a long process but she is now 100%. Thank you to David, Betsy and Janice Poritzky for whom I work at www.GrandmasChickenSoup. With my mother sick I was not able to work much for 2 months. They allowed me the freedom to watch my girls and help my mother get better as she recovered at home. They worked around my schedule and held my job until everything was back to normal. Finally, thank you to my mother for getting better. We need decades more time together with the best “Nanny”, “Mother-in-law” and “Mom”."

A few days left to still enter my Mother's Day Contest

Today's entry comes from Erin. . .

My mom deserves to win this contest, as she is the absolute best. When I was 12, and my brother was 14, she lost her best friend and we lost our dad, suddenly due to a heart attack. Our family was being torn apart. She managed to keep us together and raise us to be strong despite losing our dad. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to have to suddenly raise 2 teenagers by herself, but she pulled through. She now is a wonderful Grandmother to 5 grandkids and is still an incredibly strong woman. Her faith in God drives her each and every day. She is amazing and I am blessed to have her as my mom.

Today's highlighted Grandma's Mother's Day Contest. . .

There is still a week left to enter my Mother's Day Contest. Enter today, one lucky winner will be able to send the winning Mom a Free Soup and Mug full of crackers on Grandma!

Genevieve M., The Self Proclaimed Daughter of World's Greatest Mother, writes. . .

A nurse for nearly twenty-five years, my mother, Debbie M., is currently the weekend supervisor at a hospital. But for the last twelve years, she has additionally cared for two exceptional patients. Her mother battled multiple myeloma cancer for nearly a decade; my mom held her mother’s frail hand through every medical appointment, whether it was a blood transfusion, bone marrow transplant or chemotherapy treatment.

Only two months before enduring the grief of her mother’s death, her father suffered a stroke. The frightful night an ambulance rushed him to the hospital, the day cancer took my grandmother, during every occupational, speech and physical therapy session, and even now as he is beginning to walk, she had been by his side.

Despite working long weekend hours and regularly driving forty-five minutes to and from my grandfather’s house, my mom cheered for me at every swim meet, excitedly assisted me before each school dance and still answers the phone at any hour when I call from college in need of comforting. While perpetually existing ten minutes behind schedule and maybe not the best with cooking, cleaning or laundry, my mother is nonetheless the best exemplar I could ask for.

She offers ceaseless dedication to others, always putting everyone before herself. My mother’s passion in serving humanity and uncompensated zeal in caring for her family merits a reward. She has a perfect heart of unconditional love. Thank you for considering her for the Grandma’s Chicken Soup giveaway; I cannot think of anyone more deserving of such a gift.

Many Thanks.

Today's highlighted Grandma's Mother's Day Entry. . .

Many great entries are coming in. I am sad we can only highlight a few. Here's is a darling piece from Michael H. about his mom. . .

My mom deserves far more than I should ever be able to give her, and words can't seem to sum up the great deal she's given me. It seems there's not a moment she isn't moving, working, helping, doing every bit she can. No matter the help I try to give, it's incomparable to what she has and is doing. I suppose I'm not different, considering I'm made of her flesh, blood and love, but everyone around me has taken notice of what she does and is constantly doing for my family. She's able to work eighteen-hour shfts, something my mind finds unimaginable. She's given me so much, I'd like to give her just a bit more than I have before.

There is still over one week left to enter our Mother's Day Contest! Enter today. A great way to say thank you to Mom.

Here is a an entry from 8 year old Jackie. . .

My mom is the best mom ever because she is so sweet.
When I get hurt she helps me.
When I need to play with someone she plays with me, and buys me yummy food for lunch.
She always makes me nice dinners too.
She dresses me all matching colors and everybody loves what I wear!
She buys me a lot of nice toys.
When I am sad she helps me to get better.
When I cry she asks me why because I always have a good reason.
My mom loves me.

A Mother's Day Contest Entry from Wendy tells of her transformation into her mother. . .

I didn’t want to believe it either. For years my husband would mention that I’m doing things like my mother, he would give reference to silly things, like my insistence on forcing friends to have something to eat, or in general to be too overly hovering and sensitive. Was it true? Was I becoming my mother? I just thought I was being a “baleboosteh” you know a good hostess. It doesn’t mean I’m my mother! We’re so different, we are worlds apart! I mean I was born here in Canada, I don’t speak her native language of Polish, I have no accent like her, I can’t crochet, knit or cook “K'naidel” (dumpling-like balls used for chicken soup) like her, I couldn’t be more different.

But after last night, I have to concede that I owe my husband an apology. It started innocently enough with laundry. I emptied the hamper of darks into my machine like I always do, I made sure none of the whites snuck in, all looked good, I even added some vinegar (ok like my mother likes to do) vinegar is known to help preserve color vitality. I closed the lid, and returned to watching TV feeling proud that I was multitasking. A half hour later I heard the machine stop, I opened the lid …

and Ta Da! Kleenex tissue pieces all over my laundry! It couldn’t be, I couldn’t have, and this can’t be! Oh BUT IT BE! a zillion tiny nasty pieces of wet Kleenex adhering to all the clothes with no intention of letting go! It was a nightmare! The only good thing was my husband was asleep and would never know about this secrettarred-and- Kleenexed in the white sticky stuff, I saw it…my dark navy top with one sleeve still rolled up. It didn’t have a pocket, so like my mother used to do, when I was little, I observed she would put her Kleenex in her sleeve. incident….and there as I pulled each item of clothing out… myself Well, as I unfurled my navy top, I noticed I had done the same thing, placing that innocent Kleenex in my sleeve, resulting in this guilty mess! And there you have it evidence that indeed eventually maybe we do all morph into one aspect of our mothers, and that at least in this instance my husband is right!

Today's Highlighted Mother's Day Entry

Monica M. writes. . .

My mother's mind is not with us in reality as alert as she was, but is ever alert and beautiful in my heart. She is in the final stage of Dementia. . .My Mama was a social worker by profession. She completed college. . .one of the first in our extended family to complete college. When she divorced my Dad in the early 1970's, she went back to school and obtained her Masters Degree in Social Work, while supporting and raising 4 children.

In 1977 Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer. She took this challenge as she did all others with faith and a positive attitude. She was a safe haven for all of my sisters', brothers' and my friends. She often took them in when they were temporarily homeless or parentless due to life's situations. Mama was always encouraging, and was very active in our community through our Block club, Church, The American Breast Cancer Association, the National Association of Black Social Workers, and many other organizations.

When Mama and I noticed that she was beginning to have trouble remembering things, she bravely allowed my siblings and I to find her a great Doctor, and because of God and him she has still survived this disease since the mid to late 90's. Mama only recognizes any of us for about 30 seconds now, but her smile is radiant and we can still feel her love. She still has a great appreciation for what tastes good. If she doesn't like something her determination NOT to eat is fierce! I know that she would love your soup and enjoy the warmth and deliciousness of it. Your lemon iced cake is also delicious and I have sent these things to many of my friends and family over the years. I know my Mom would not only love to be recognized in this way, but she would be humbled at the total love and devotion that I feel for her.

Another great entry to win free soup for your mom

I am nominating my mom because she never says no. She helps everybody and is completely unselfish. I sent my son Grandma's soup this summer at camp when he was sick, because that is what my mom taught me. She always knew what to say and what to do to make me feel better. We know chicken soup is the best medicine and that's why I would like to nominate her to win a bowl of love.

Dr. Corey

Keep checking everyday to read entries for our Grandma's Mother's Day Contest. If you enter today you may see your story posted on my blog. The winner will be announced by May 5th. Good luck to all our authors and thank you to their great moms!

Here is one from Lynda M.

My mother is the best Mom in the world. She has worked hard to support me throughout the years. I could never pay her back for what she has given and done for me over the years, throughout my childhood and even my adult life. I feel very fortunate to have someone who loves me unconditionally, without judging me, yet gives constructive criticism when needed. I cherish her every minute of every day and try to show her how much I care by doing little things for her, spending time with or having her over for dinner. She has been a true positive inspiration in my life and I feel very blessed having her in my life. She is one in a million and I have the most wonderful mother ever! I may not win this contest, but I have the best prize of all because I have my mother.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to tell you how I feel about Mom.

Mother's Day Contest

Get a head start on Grandma's Mother's Day Contest!!!

GrandmasChickenSoup wants to celebrate your Mom this Mother’s Day

As a daughter, mother and grandmother, I know the importance of Mom. She does the dishes and the laundry, wipes the tears, stands in the cold rain during games, and finishes it off with a big hug and a kiss.

We want to thank one special Mom this year for Mother’s Day 2010.

Our Celebrate Mom contest will allow you to nominate the best Mom you know. The winner will receive a FREE half gallon of delicious GrandmasChickenSoup and a Grandma's Chicken Soup gift mug filled with crackers, our signature carrot pen and completed with a hand decorated whimsical chicken cookie.

We will feature many of the entries on my blog and Facebook for everyone to read.

Thank mom through your heartfelt words and for one deserving winner, she will get a FREE meal on me, GRANDMA.

In 300 words or less, tell us why this Mom you are nominating is special and deserves to be recognized and receive a Free gift. This can be any mom you know as long as they are great at the job of Motherhood.

Entries must be emailed to me at grandma@grandmaschickensoup.com from now until May 2nd, 2010. The winning author will be notified via email May 3rd, 2010. In order for us to send the soup to the lucky mom before Mothers Day 2010, the winning author must provide us with winning mom’s address by May 4th. Employees and relatives of GrandmasChickenSoup and David’s World Famous are not eligible. The winning author may be asked to submit a picture to accompany their story.

Here is an article about the health of the Seder Meal. . .

March 29, 2010

Passover health: Matzoh, soup and family

Posted: 05:05 PM ET

By Elizabeth Landau
CNN.com Health Writer/Producer

For Jews, Passover is somewhat like Thanksgiving: Families and friends gather to eat a lot of food. This holiday, commemorating the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, began Monday and lasts for eight days, during which observers do not eat any leavened bread or various grains. Some traditionally also avoid beans, corn, and other starches.

The Passover meal - called a "seder," meaning "order," - traditionally happens on the first night, during which participants go through a series of symbolic foods representing elements of the Passover story. Some families have a seder on the second night also.

Some seder foods carry health benefits. And one, perhaps the best known of the seder elements, may cause some digestive issues.

Matzoh, which Passover observers eat to symbolize the Jewish people fleeing their homes without enough time for their bread to rise, is actually quite constipating, although no one knows exactly why. There's only about 1 gram of fiber per piece of matzoh, so it's certainly not helping in that area. But dried fruit, thought to be an antidote, is also kosher for Passover, notes Joe Regenstein, professor of food science at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. "As long as you drink enough water and eat enough fiber to move things, you’re probably OK," says Dr. Lisa Bernstein, assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine. There is also whole wheat matzoh available, contributing to good carbs and healthy fats, she says.

Matzoh ball soup: A 2009 study in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that chicken soup, otherwise known as "Jewish penicillin," may have medicinal properties. Researchers gave proteins from chicken legs' collagen to rats. In the rats used to model hypertension, blood pressure went down, researchers said. This line of research is credible and may explain the benefits of this "Jewish penicillin," Regenstein said.

Charoset, a paste made of apples and nuts, symbolizes the mortar used to lay bricks in Egypt (legend has it that Jewish slaves built pyramids; some historians have debunked this, and it remains controversial). Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, Bernstein notes, which have been shown to be good for your heart, vision, and even memory. If this is your first seder and you are allergic to nuts, though, make sure to steer clear.

Family, as with any major food-focused holiday, is a big part of Passover. There are always some issues with that - dealing with relatives you haven't seen a long time, making sure everyone gets along - but for most people, having the family reunited is a positive thing. A 2002 review of research on family routines and rituals, published in the Journal of Family Psychology, found that family rituals, including Passover and Thanksgiving, contribute to stability in stressful times. These, as well as routines such as a family mealtime, are linked with everything from academic success to children's health and strong family ties.

Posted by: Elizabeth Landau - CNN.com Health Writer/Producer
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/29/passover-health-matzoh-soup-and-family/

London Museum Re-creates the smell of Chicken Soup

Check out this London Museum that re-creates the smell of chicken soup. . .

London Jewish Museum reopens after major facelift

By JILL LAWLESS (AP) – 32 minutes ago

LONDON — They are icons of Britain: a Victorian-era statesman, a World War I soldier-poet, fish and chips.

They're also Jewish — evidence of the 1,000-year history of Jews in Britain, whose story is told in a museum reopening this week after a 10 million pound ($15 million) expansion.

"Fish and chips, which everyone thinks of as very English, is in fact Sephardic Jewish," said celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, who helped relaunch the London Jewish Museum on Tuesday after a two-year closure. Many believe that Britain's national dish has its origins in fried fish introduced to the country by Spanish and Portuguese Jews.

Food and the nature of Britishness both play a significant part in the museum, which has expanded from a Victorian house in London's Camden Town to a former piano factory next door, tripling its floorspace. Among the interactive displays is a chance to smell chicken soup cooking in a recreated East End immigrant's kitchen.

There also is a cavalcade of historical figures, both famous and obscure, including 19th-century Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli; war poet Isaac Rosenberg, killed on the Western Front; and Daniel Mendoza, an 18th-century boxing champion of England.

Their stories sit alongside those of humbler figures — laborers, seamstresses, trade unionists, entertainers.

"We're telling the story of the Jewish community in London, but we're also telling the story of London," said Sarah Jillings, the museum's exhibition project director.

Britain's 300,000-strong Jewish community stretches back to 1066, when the first Jews arrived with William the Conqueror's invading Norman army.

The museum attests to a thriving medieval community. One of its star displays is a 13th-century mikvah, or ritual bath, uncovered in what is now the heart of London's financial district.

England's entire Jewish population was expelled by King Edward I in 1290 after years of anti-Semitic violence, and Jews were only readmitted in 1656 under Oliver Cromwell, who had overthrown the monarchy.

From there, the museum tells an evocative tale — common to many immigrant communities — of dislocation and hard work, prejudice and resistance, and the gradual move from inner-city tenements to greater prosperity in the suburbs.

"There are many Jewish museums, Holocaust museums — extraordinary places — around the world," said Alan Yentob, creative director of the BBC and a patron of the museum. "But this is one that tells the story of an immigrant culture, and therefore chimes with many people around the world today."

One gallery is devoted to the Holocaust, focusing on the experience of one British survivor of Auschwitz, while another holds a large display of Jewish ceremonial art.

The venue calls itself the only museum in London dedicated to a minority group.

Its curators acknowledge that the history of Briton's Jews is also the history of anti-Semitism. For centuries Jews were barred from many professions, including serving in Parliament — Disraeli was allowed because he had converted to Christianity as a teenager. A century ago, the press ran sensationalist headlines about "alien" newcomers as tens of thousands of Jews fleeing persecution in Eastern Europe settled in Britain.

In recent years Jewish community leaders have reported a rise in anti-Semitic incidents, attributed in part to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the dwindling number of people with memories of the Holocaust.

The museum sees its role as helping to build social cohesion. It predicts that a majority of the 65,000 visitors expected this year will not be Jewish, and will include many groups of schoolchildren.

Lawson said the history of the Jewish community is "deeply interwoven with the fabric of this country" — and is primarily a positive story.

"The history of the Jews is very much told in terms of persecution," she said. "It's interesting to question that."

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gz0j5Pn_jsLqWbO9o-cbcHNPqBjQD9EFPVTG0

Consumer Reports recommends chicken soup to treat a cold

Colds & coughs

CHICKEN SOUP FOR A COLD

Grandma was right: Chicken soup helps fight the common cold. Studies show that it can reduce symptoms, although it doesn't appear to prevent or shorten the illness. Inhaling the warm steam of the soup loosens nasal secretions, which helps drain sinuses. The soup's heat may also ease throat soreness, and the broth helps prevent dehydration.

What's more, research shows that chicken soup may have a mild anti-inflammatory effect. Steven Rennard, M.D., a pulmonologist at the University of Nebraska, and his colleagues used his wife's grandmother's recipe to cook up a batch of vegetable-filled chicken soup. They conducted test-tube analyses of soup samples and found that it prevented excessive buildup of virus-fighting cells called neutrophils, which trigger the inflammatory responses that make cold sufferers feel so rotten. Rennard reports that the soup was effective without matzo balls, although "it doesn't really taste right without them."


HONEY AND COUGHS

A simple folk remedy appears to trump over-the-counter cough medicine. In a 2007 study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 105 children ages 2 to 18 who suffered from upper-respiratory infections received no treatment, honey, or a honey-flavored over-the-counter cough suppressant. Parents rated their children's cough symptoms and quality of sleep. Those treated with honey did best.

The study was supported by a grant from the National Honey Board, an industry-funded agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The researchers said that honey might soothe irritated membranes in the back of the throat, and has well-established antioxidant and antiviral effects.

That's welcome news, because in January 2008 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that over-the-counter cough medications posed unacceptable risks to children under age 2. And in 2005 the American College of Chest Physicians declared that OTC cough remedies were largely ineffective for people of any age.

The researchers in the Archives study gave one-half teaspoon of honey to children ages 2 to 5, 1 teaspoon to children 6 to 11, and 2 teaspoons to those ages 12 to 18. That higher amount is a reasonable dose for adults as well. You could try a smaller dose for children ages 1 to 2. But honey shouldn't be given to children under age 1 because it can cause infantile botulism, a rare but potentially life-threatening health problem.


STAYING WARM TO STOP COLDS

Mothers who warn their children to bundle up in winter might feel vindicated. A 2005 study suggests that being cold may indeed lead to a cold—a notion that scientists long dismissed as folklore.

Welsh researchers recruited 180 volunteers during the cold season and chilled half of them by placing their feet in cold water for 20 minutes. Within five days, 29 percent of the chilled group caught colds, compared with only 9 percent of the others. Other research suggests that chilling the feet causes blood vessels in the nose to narrow. That limits the supply of infection-fighting white blood cells in the nasal passage, where cold viruses most often enter the body.

The researchers say that previous studies that found no link between getting chilled and colds were too small and did not use natural exposure to cold viruses. While the more recent study is not definitive either, it certainly adds another reason to stay warm in winter, particularly by wearing warm socks and water-resistant shoes. For more protection, wash your hands frequently and avoid people with colds.

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-treatments/home-remedies-that-work/colds-coughs/colds-and-coughs.htm?EXTKEY=HNATKN9C

Holiday Soup Special - Buy 4 Get 1 Free

Buy 4 - Get 1 FREE -A special offer just for you!

To celebrate this holiday season, GrandmasChickenSoup.com is offering you a special holiday discount - - If you buy 4 Gift Packages at our regular price we will give you 1/2 Gallon of Chicken Soup FREE - - While you are running around shopping, decorating, etc. - enjoy a delicious meal on Grandma (or send it to a friend)!

To take advantage of the awesome offer, check out our gift packages at www.GrandmasChickenSoup.com and then enter the coupon code FREESOUP2009 when checking out. To place this order on the phone - call (877) 363-SOUP (7687)!

We appreciate your business, and hope you will shop with us!
Shipping charges are not included in this offer.
This offer does not apply to previous orders.

Apparently chicken soup IS the ultimate get well gift for the flu . . .we are so busy sending out soups!

Celebrating our 5th year in business with a coupon code!

Get $5 off with coupon code FIVEYEAR - tell your friends!

Coupon valid today through 10/31!

Order early for the holidays!!

The Center for Culinary Development (CCD) did a study involving comfort foods and the generations. There are many interesting findings, but one that is not a surprise to me, "chicken soup" was listed by many as a comfort food they crave.

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2009/08/13/consumers-redefine-comfort-food.html

Have you seen our newest baby gifts

Our baby gifts are selling like hotcakes! Check out our newest line of gifts . . . we have cupcake pjs, onesies in the shape of roses, and much more! Check out our baby gifts!